Key officials in the Trump administration are warning that Congress’s delay in passing the budget bill, which includes significant funding for border security, could hinder the president’s efforts to deport illegal migrants.
White House border czar Tom Homan and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have emphasized the need for Republican lawmakers to expedite the passage of the budget bill, which would allocate over $100 billion in new funding to federal immigration authorities. This funding is crucial for completing border wall construction, increasing detention capacity, and hiring additional ICE officers.
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The administration’s plea comes as House conservatives have threatened to oppose the Senate-amended budget resolution, raising concerns about insufficient spending cuts.
Homan has been advocating for quicker funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since early February. He and Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought met with Senate Republicans to stress the urgency of funding the president’s deportation and border security agenda.
Senate and House GOP leadership, along with President Trump, are urging House conservatives to support the Senate-amended budget resolution, with a House vote potentially as soon as Wednesday evening.
House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed confidence in the resolution’s passage, citing the Senate’s commitment to deficit reduction in the forthcoming budget bill.
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Passing the budget resolution is the initial step in the budget reconciliation process, which allows both chambers to negotiate a comprehensive tax and spending bill to fund the president’s border security priorities.
Homan emphasized the importance of timely funding, telling Semafor on Monday, “We got to hope Congress gets that done, because there is a limited amount of funds. And to do more, we got to buy more detention beds. We need more flights. We need more officers. We need more overtime. Bottom line is: The more money we get, the more successful we will be.” He also expressed frustration with the delay, stating, “Is it taking too long? Yes, it’s taking too long. I wish they would have passed it by now.”
The DHS issued a memo to Congressional offices this week, warning that failure to provide the requested funding would undermine the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts, including border wall construction and the ability to detain and remove illegal migrants.
However, House conservatives are resisting the Senate-amended budget resolution due to concerns that it doesn’t include enough enforceable spending cuts. Republican Rep. Chip Roy and House Freedom Caucus chair Andy Harris have publicly stated their opposition.
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Senate Republicans have responded by clarifying that the budget resolution instructions are merely a starting point and that they are committed to pursuing substantial spending reductions during the budget reconciliation process.
House GOP leadership, including House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, has assured that passing the Senate-amended budget resolution will not prevent the House from advocating for significant spending cuts in the subsequent reconciliation bill.
President Trump has personally appealed to House conservatives to support the budget resolution, emphasizing the potential consequences of failure. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham echoed this sentiment, stressing the need for Congress to act responsibly.
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